If
by Phil929
Summary: What would have happened if Sandy had been sick the day he was supposed to meet Ryan for the first time and get him out of jail? A little one shot full of dramatic irony.


If

Sandy woke up with a pounding head ache and moaned as the alarm clock called out for his attention.

Peering around he noticed Kirsten had left for work already. He sat up carefully and put a hand against his head. His stomach ached and nausea nagged at him.

He groaned remembering he had to drive down to Chino that afternoon. He slowly brought his legs round to the edge of the bed and stopped the alarm with a tired movement.

He suddenly darted to the bathroom the nausea reaching a new height. After a few minutes of gagging and heaving he lifted a shaking head up to flush the toilet.

Feeling a brief pause in the nausea he got to his feet carefully and made his way to the bedroom.

Grabbing his cell phone he perched on the edge of the bed and dialled the number of his office.

xxx

Ryan sat on the cold bench hunched over as he gingerly ate his breakfast trying desperately not to be noticed.

Trey had always taught him that being invisible was the most important thing in juvy. He was waiting for a visit from his lawyer but the guards told him the guy he was going to have was 'under the weather' so couldn't be there. Therefore there was a delay while they got someone else to come instead.

It wasn't like the guy would have been able to help him anyway or would have wanted to help him. Trey had always told him how useless public defenders were. They were the reason their father had been in jail for so long.

He just had to sit still and behave. He mentally begged the new lawyer to get him out soon. He wouldn't be able to handle a sentence like his fathers. Sure the crime wasn't as bad but with his family's history the judge may want to straighten him out.

His stomach fluttered and he sighed looking up at the guards and bars surrounding him. How his father managed to stay sane was a mystery to him. It had only been a weekend and the claustrophobia was really getting to him.

"Atwood, finish up here. Your lawyer's here!" the words were gruff and demanded to be obeyed.

He nodded and stood up giving his tray to a kitchen worker and following the guard. The hand cuffs were put on and he was held at the elbow and pulled out of the room.

A plain grey corridor with flickering lights led them to the small room where Ryan was placed.

A brown haired girl sat there, her elegant business suit making her look completely out of place. She plastered a smile on her face and stood up as they entered.

Lipstick stained her lips ruby red she reeked of wealth and Ryan looked at her with narrowed eyes. Another rule he'd been taught early on- never trust rich bitches.

She took his hand after the guards released him and shook it. Her pink, manicured nails on display.

xxx

Sandy stuck his head out of the toilet as Kirsten called out to him.

"Julia's on the phone!" She called.

She came in and rubbed his back as he answered the phone.

The conversation was short and he was soon passing the phone back to her.

"Everything alright?" She asked and he shook his head.

"I was meant to go down to Chino for a client today but couldn't obviously so Julia went in my place. She couldn't get him off. He's sentenced for 3 months. God, I read his file the life he's had. He's not going to last in jail he'll either be a complete jack ass from the abuse and smart talk the guards or break a rule and have to stay longer or be completely beaten by the other inmates. I could have got him off with probation or…"

He paused hovering over the toilet again. Satisfied that his stomach contents were safe for a few minutes he continued. "It was just a car theft and he was only an accessory. I could have easily got him off…" He trailed off as his porcelain friend beckoned to his stomach contents once again.

"Honey you can't help everyone," Kirsten soothed. "Besides remember everything happens for a reason."

"I know… it's just I really felt something for this kid then I get sick and now it's out of my hands."

"Ssh it's okay. I'm sure he'll be fine besides think how hard it would have been for you to let him go if you had got him off."

xxx

Ryan lay in his cot in his cell. Top bunk. Lovely. He just had to stay out of trouble. He only had to last 3 months. He wondered what would have happened if that other PD guy had been working for him.

That bitch had been awful. She didn't care about him or how long he was going to have to stay in jail. He wondered why she was even a lawyer in the first place. A little activity to fill her spare time maybe.

The guy below him uttered a low snore and Ryan tried to fight the tears pricking at the back of his eyes. She hadn't even told him what was happening to Trey.

If he was down for three months for only being an accessory, Trey must be screwed.

He shivered from the cold air seeping into the room and tried to wrap the blanket further around his shoulders. It was so thin.

He wondered where he'd be if the other lawyer had come and actually worked **for **him.

He'd learnt a long time ago that having a dream didn't make you smart, didn't gain you anything. Knowing the dream wouldn't come true was the true lesson. He may dream now that the other lawyer had turned up but that wouldn't make it happen.

He closed his eyes and tried not to imagine his father in the same sized bed with the same sized blanket.

He was not his father.

Three months.

He couldn't get into any real trouble, could he?

The End.


End file.
